Blood Ties
by GetWithIt
Summary: Naruko, treated horribly by the village hidden in the leaves, learns to move past the hate and loneliness on her way to becoming hokage. That is, if she ever actually makes it. Join Naruko as she battles enemies, finds friendship, and discovers her own strength. She might even find love...
1. Prologue

_Hi everyone! _

_Okay so I'm new to this and just randomly decided to try it out so please don't judge me too harshly! This will be a story about a female Naruto, Naruko, or just Naru for short. I've always wanted to do this but only just decided to go through with it. I'm not particularly strong when it comes to imagery so feel free to review and leave tips._

_**Disclaimer: **__Obviously I do not own the characters or anything like that, that would be silly._

**Prologue – Dark Beginnings**

"What's that noise?" whispered the boy, barely able to keep himself from shaking. He was young, no more than six or seven years old. He sat with his back against a cement wall and his knees hugged to his chest. There was a bandage wrapped from his wrist to his elbow, the smallest traces of blood just starting to show through.

He was referring to the loud explosion that had just gone off. His unusual hair, an odd mixture of black and white strands, was dirty and his clothes were covered in blood. The room he sat in was small, barely five yards across and held only two people.

"Don't worry about it – I'm sure your father and the others are just doing their best to protect the village," answered a haggard looking young woman. She had been pacing back and forth in front of the young boy, her son, for the past twenty minutes. She knew the pacing was making him nervous, but she just couldn't bring herself to stop. Waiting, doing nothing, was unbearable. For the first time in six-and-a-half years she regretted retiring in order to raise her son.

"But mom-"

"Shhhh! Stay quiet! Everything will be fine, but we have to uphold our part of the bargain and keep ourselves safe. Your dad will be fine, he promised us," the woman choked out the last sentence, barely holding back tears. Se knew she was in no shape to fight; she had never been particularly powerful in the first place. She also knew that it was better for her son that she was with him, to keep him calm, unlike the children who had two ninja parents. Despite knowing this, she wished desperately that she could go and help her husband. Even if she couldn't fight alongside him, she at least wished she could have some sort of message or sign signifying he was okay.

The little boy had started to weep quietly as his mom's frantic pacing sped up. That and the fact that she was mercilessly spinning a kunai knife in her hand had sent him over the edge. Taking notice of what her own distressed state was doing to her son, the woman stopped pacing, put the knife away, and sat down next to the boy. Wrapping her arms around him she pulled him into her lap and began rocking back and forth. He quieted down a few minutes later, only to start whimpering when another explosion sounded. It was closer than the first and made the very ground heave beneath their feet.

The boy's mother made comforting noises toward her son, only half aware of what she was saying. She leaned forward, letting her long dark hair, usually shiny and full, fall around her to cover her son. He was so keyed up he didn't seem to notice. She rested her chin atop her son's head and murmured, "Shhhh… Everything is fine. Your father is strong, he'll never lose. All we have to do is wait. If we can fall asleep then we'll be able to wake up and see your father sooner."

The boy turned his teary gaze up and behind him, "Really?"

"Of course." And with that the woman activated a genjutsu. It wasn't strong, but it managed to calm her son and lull him into a deep, if not restful, sleep.

Sighing heavily, the woman took deep a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. She was dirtier than her son and covered in small cuts and bruises from the frantic escape they'd managed. Only thanks to the help of a few Anbu Black Ops members had they managed to make it to the safe houses. They weren't actually houses, but endless tunnels and countless rooms that stretched beneath the mountain overlooking Konoha.

She and her son had been late to evacuate, which wouldn't have been such a problem had they not lived so far in the first place. Her husband couldn't help them, as the head of his own Anbu squad he was needed on the front lines. He had, however, managed to send some of his younger members to help them get to safety, along with any other civilians not already out of harm's way.

Thankful that she and her son were alive and safe, she sent a silent prayer for her husband. After that she just held her son and stared blankly at the back of his head. He was sleeping soundly, his breathing was slow and even. She whispered thanks that he had fallen prey to her genjutsu and would sleep through the rest of the battle. Unable to sink into sleep herself, the young mother distracted herself with the happy memories of the day she met her husband.

The boy, resting comfortably in his mother's lap, did not dream. He was unaware of anything other than the gentle darkness surrounding him and the warmth at his back.

He wasn't awake to see, just a few minutes later, the tall blonde woman who came to the door on the other side of the small room. He didn't feel his mother rise, or see her as she moved to the other woman like a zombie. He didn't see the woman's mouth move, didn't see his mother freeze only to crumple to the ground a moment later. He didn't notice the blonde woman grimace and move on, on to inform another waiting family of their loved one's demise. No, he was asleep. The news of his father's death could not reach him. He still held onto the innocent belief that his father would be there when he woke up.


	2. Chapter 1

Blood Ties

_Hi again! So this is the official start of the story. Sorry about the confusing prologue, I promise I'll try to make the rest of this better! By the way, this Naruko will be stronger and less goofy than her male counterpart. Why? Because girls are cool like that._

_P.S. The boy before was an OC, his identity will come into the story later. He's not going to be a main character but he will play a major role in one or two chapters._

_**Disclaimer:**__ Obviously I still own nothing…_

**Chapter 1 – Unforeseen Consequences**

(Nearly six years after the prologue)

A strange keening noise was coming from a lump on the bed. The lump quivered slightly before two skinny arms threw the blanket back. Two azure eyes blinked slowly in the light that poured through the window beside the bed. As the eyes adjusted the small figure they belonged to clambered down from the bed. The figure, now revealed to be a small girl covered in dirt and blood, made her way slowly, but surely to the mirror on the far side of the room.

She took a deep breath before she studied herself in the mirror. She saw dried blood in her usually bright blonde hair, yellow bruising around her mouth and eyes, as well as fours shallow scratches stretching from her cheek to the upper part of her neck. Sighing in resignation, the girl pulled her ripped and bloody shirt off carefully before gingerly pressing her left side. Wincing only slightly, she began to search her body for signs of any other injuries. When she failed to find anything worse than scratches and bruises she moved into the hallway and opened the door immediately to the right of her room. Ten minutes later she came out of that same room clean of any blood.

Walking back into the bedroom she dried herself slowly while meticulously avoiding her left side. Once she was dried to her satisfaction she slid the door next to the mirror back and pulled an orange jumpsuit from her closet. Her eyes seemed to lighten, though she didn't smile, when she thought back to what the old man had said at her choice. "Are you absolutely sure that's what you want to wear? In _that_ color?" She had only nodded solemnly in response.

This time, as she made her way back out into the hallway she turned in the other direction, into a small kitchen. She worked her way around the room, opening cupboards filled with ramen when not stacked with cheap bowls or cracked plates. Eventually, she chose an egg from the small refrigerator before cracking it into a pan over the stove. When the egg was done she sat at the small table in the center of the kitchen, it had only one chair.

Chewing slowly, the girl, who admittedly looked rather boyish in her silly jumpsuit and short spiky hair, thought over the night before. She remembered that she had been halfway to her apartment when the group attacked her. They had pulled her into a dark alleyway as she passed by. She remembered seeing a group of teenagers, with a least two girls, before the beating had started.

Taunts like, "You're a monster," "We shouldn't have to live with a demon," and "Die! You don't belong here," had continued for some time before the group grew tired of her silence. She had long since learned never to retaliate or show weakness when these things happened.

The teenagers were much worse than the kids her own age. Sure, they taunted her, but the worst of them only threw rocks while nearly all of them threw insults. There were some who ignored her completely. Surprisingly though, those who ignored her bothered her the most. If there was one thing she hated, it was the feeling that she didn't deserve to exist, that she never existed in the first place. Somehow the physical violence was less personal than the refusal to make eye contact or acknowledge her.

This train of thought brought her back to the events the night before. One thing still bothered her – one person, in fact. As she lay with her cheek pressed into the pavement she had stared into the dimly lit street that led to her home (if she could call it that). While she was patiently waiting for the teens to tire themselves out, she had unintentionally made eye contact with a figure standing on the other side of the street.

Despite the darkness, she could make out strands of different colors in the boy's hair. She knew he was a boy, could tell from his shorter hair and figure. As she continued to stare she noticed the darkness in his gaze. It wasn't dislike; it was pure hatred, some disgust even. This in and of itself was not surprising, she attracted these kinds of stares daily. What _was_ surprising was the way he didn't look away.

He continued to stare, unblinking, as with a final kick she felt her ribs _crack!_ Gasping she tried not to scream aloud. The group, finally satisfied, hurried away, laughing and whispering in low tones. It didn't matter; it wasn't as though there was anyone who would defend her anyway.

Fighting to keep the low moan from escaping she had continued to stare into the boy's dark eyes. Not one of the teens from earlier had noticed the boy when they left her, bleeding, on the ground. Once the sounds of the group had faded to nothing she watched in resignation as the boy made his way over to her. She knew she couldn't get away, she couldn't sit up even if she had wanted to. So she lay there, fighting the darkness that threatened to claim her. With dread she noticed the headband the boy wore. The hitai-ate that everyone who passed the academy received. To her that meant that he would cause more pain than the regular villagers could ever hope to.

Shaking slightly, she winced as the boy, now revealed to be twelve or so, reached towards her. It was with shock that she noticed he didn't immediately try to harm her. His eyes still held the same hatred, but they had something else as well. Surprised, she identified the look as pity. _But no one pities me. No one but the old man…_

Holding onto her consciousness proved to be a losing battle; as the darkness closed around her she was aware of one last thing. It was the warmth of his arms as they gently picked her up.

Returning to the present the girl reached her hand up to her face with trembling fingers. There were tears on her cheeks. She frantically rubbed her face. She hadn't cried, at least from emotion, in _years_. The boy hadn't tried to treat her wounds, but he _had _carried her home and put her to bed. Dumping her egg into the trash the girl dragged her sleeve across her face once more before hurrying to grab her backpack.

…

She knew that she was running late and took all her familiar short cuts to the academy. For once, she didn't even come across any other children along the way. She was thankful for that at least, she didn't know if she could handle anything worse than insults after the night before. While her ribs were no longer broken and her head wound left her with only a dull throbbing, she didn't look forward to repeating the experience anytime soon.

Walking quickly, because the pain in her side made running impossible, she darted into a narrow alleyway. There was a tea shop on one side and a small, family-owned flower shop on the other. The girl whose parents owned the flower shop, Ino, insulted her mercilessly whenever she could, but she had never once participated in any of the violence. For that, the small child felt grateful.

Less than a minute later she was standing outside the academy, confused. There were no other children to be seen, despite the fact that at least one class was always out training or running laps. Slowly, she made her way to the classroom that had become her safe haven. The kids, and even the teacher, may hate her, but they didn't hurt her. The academy also had the added bonus that she could get stronger and faster, which made it less likely that she would get into situations where she ended up with broken ribs.

When she reached her classroom she paused, listening. Hearing nothing she decided she would just go home when the sliding door was yanked open.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?" asked her sensei. He was young, probably only 30 at the most, and had long red hair pulled back in a pony-tail.

"I'm here for class Shiro-sensei," replied Naruto. Her face was blank as she said it, though her eyes were fixed on her sensei's with a strange intensity.

He sighed heavily, "Classes were cancelled for today. Didn't anyone tell you?" He looked annoyed. She knew he disliked her, but he didn't hate her anywhere near as much as the others. She supposed that was why the Hokage had put her in his class to begin with.

Staring with the same intensity Naruto shook her head.

"Of course not," he muttered. "Go ahead and leave. You're free for the day, though we'll have class as usual tomorrow."

"Yes, Shiro-sensei," and with that, Naruto turned on her heel and left. She saw her sensei shudder as she turned, but didn't acknowledge it. The fact that she merely creeped him out, rather than inspiring hatred, endeared him to her.

After exiting the building she stopped, she had nowhere to go. She didn't much feel like returning to her apartment, she couldn't risk walking the streets of Konoha for too long, and she wouldn't be able to train for an hour or so. Realizing she had no options, at least for now, she made her way to the solitary swing in front of the academy. Naruto loved the swing, it was one of the few things she did care about (other than ramen). To her, the swing was a kindred soul. All alone, unloved, ignored; it was everything she was.

Sitting down she rested her head on the frayed rope that held the singly board above the ground. Any day now one of the ropes would snap. If it did, she knew she would replace it. She couldn't imagine the academy without her swing. No other children ever used it. She didn't know if it was because she had "contaminated" it or because it was boring. Whatever the reason, she was grateful.

She sat there, dozing lightly, for nearly two hours. By the time she stood up and stretched she could no longer feel any pain. _I guess it's time to train._

…

The first training field she had come to had been crowded. Naruto kept back, out of sight, and made her way around the training field under the surrounding trees. Her presence was always unwelcome, even if she was just passing through.

Soon she found herself standing in a familiar clearing. There were three upright logs in the center and a small creek meandered through the trees to her left. She took out two kunai knifes and spun them in her fingers. She kept spinning them, faster and faster before finally releasing them in front of her. Without looking to see where they had landed she pulled out a third and threw it high in the air. Jumping up she caught it, spun, and released it before she hit the ground. When she finally looked to the logs she felt a sliver of satisfaction. Each knife was embedded in the center of one of the small targets she had drawn moments before.

Training here wasn't unusual for her. She couldn't risk doing well at the academy so she took what she learned and applied it to her solitary training sessions in the woods. Of course, this meant that she couldn't really practice hand to hand combat, but she used her imagination to the best of her abilities. She hadn't known, when she first started, that becoming a ninja would be such a challenge for her. At first, whenever she made any progress, her classmates would run home and tell their families. They, in turn, would tell the villagers. The villagers would accuse her of cheating, demand she be banned from the academy, or threaten her personally in an attempt to make her quit.

She learned quickly though. Soon she was barely passing, only to sneak out in the middle of the night try again. Here, in the shelter of the trees around her, she could test her limits. Here, she could put what she learned to practice. Whenever Shiro-sensei went over techniques on throwing kunai, or had them practice simple taijutsu techniques, she listened carefully. She eavesdropped on every tip or correction he gave to the other students and used the tips herself. Last night she had done the same. After twirling and dodging imaginary opponents in the woods for hours she had been walking back when the group snatched her off the street.

Eventually, she would learn to run over rooftops and hide in shadows, but for now she would just have to be more careful. Dreaming of the day she could be strong enough to walk the village unmolested, Naruto returned to her training with renewed vigor.

…

Three hours later Naruto was drenched in sweat. She sat down and rested her back against the log in the middle and pulled a water bottle from her backpack. When it was empty she took out a second, drank half, and then poured the rest over her head. When it wasn't enough to cool her down Naruto looked longingly over at the creek. _If I leave my undershirt on and just hop in quickly, would I get caught?_

Frowning slightly, Naruto glanced around; _I could always keep my clothes on. But then I'd have to walk back drenched, which would draw unwanted attention, _she argued with herself. _I don't see anyone, but if someone does come then I'd be in trouble. What would the Old Man say? If he doesn't find out then it's fine, but…_

Naruto sighed deeply and shook her head. It wasn't worth it. The Old Man was the only person she cared about. Disappointing grades were one thing – if she ever betrayed his trust she didn't know if he would continue to talk to her. Naruto never opened up, but the fact that the old man spoke with her weekly and gave her the choice was the only thing she lived for. He was the one who suggested she become a ninja, saying it would keep her safer. No, if he wanted her to pretend to be a boy, she would do it.

Naruto tilted her head back and studied the clouds wondering, not for the first time, what it would be like to be the girl she was meant to be. She envied the other girls' their clothes, toys, and the carefree way they could pick flowers. Not that Naruto was naïve enough to believe she would have that even if she were raised as a girl. Hell, she didn't really have anything that boys _or _girls had. She couldn't play games with them, she didn't own toys, and she barely had enough money for her food and clothing expenses. Not to mention most of them had the one thing she wanted most, a family. The Old Man was kind, he seemed to like her even, but he had his grandson, whom he truly loved. She knew that even as he smiled at her, her expressionless nature bothered him.

Still, in her own way, Naruto loved the Hokage. With him she felt safe and at peace. While she didn't smile or express it, she felt the closest thing to happiness she had ever experienced when she was with him. Just as she was about to convince herself to pay him a visit a creaking branch alerted her to someone's approach.

"That's 'im right?" asked the man Naruto had whirled to face.

"Yeah, he's got the silly orange outfit and the hair to go with it. I think we can safely say we won't be finding another kid as dumb-looking in the entire village," called a voice from behind and above her. Just as Naruto looked back, an athletic looking man in all black jumped down lightly from his perch in an oak tree.

"Nice to meet ya," said the man, who Naruto now noticed wore a hitai-ate with a long scratch in it. She turned swiftly and made to run but the first man only grinned.

"Don't be scared buddy, we're only here to kidnap you!"

A moment later Naruto felt the man from tree appear behind her. Before she could do anything she felt a sharp jab and started to fall forward. She was unconscious before hitting the ground.


End file.
